Vat construction



Sept. 27, 1932. A. c. HOUGLAND VAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2 5. 1930 Patented Sept. 27, 1932 PATENT -g OFFICE ALBERTy C. HOUGLAND, OF ST. BAUL, MINNESOTA VvAT CONSTRUCTION Application ledlAugust 25, 1930. fSerialNo. 4775502.

This invention relates to large tanks or vats for liquids and particularly to Vthose .having insulating walls and a sheet metal liner sub-L jected tothe pressure exerted by the liquid contents. j j v It is my object to provide ay novel and eilicient connection for the liner of such a vat at the edges of thewalls. A further object is to provide an unusually strong'connection between the liner and the outer wall or casing which is easy toconstruct and presents an unusually neat appearance. Y

Thev invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an end view of a large vat, such as is employed in cream ripeners and pasteurizers, with a portion of one of the ends broken away to show my improved connection between the liner and casing; Fig. 2 is an isometric view showing fragmentary portions of the several elements in their relative positions before the locking connection is made; Fig. 3 is an isometric view showing the lock connection partially completed and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the completed lock.

As shown in the drawing a large vat 5 has thick insulating walls containing a body 6 of insulating materia-l such as cork. This cork insulation is confined by an outer casing 7 of heavy gauge sheet metal which extends over the edges 8 of the walls and downward within the vat to provide a locking flange 9 for confining the body 6.

Overlapping the casing along the edge 8 is a long and relatively narrow strip 10 of relatively light gauge metal. This strip has a flange 11 along its outeredge which, when the strip is applied, projects outward from the casing 7. The strip 10 is overlapped by a relatively heavy bar 12 and this bar is held in place by a series of screws 13 extending through the strip 10 and having a threaded engagement with the casing 7. The iange 11 is preferably offset upward, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, to extend substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the bar 12.

A liner sheet 14 is suspended from its upper edge on the bar 12, being bent outward to overlap said bar. Duringthe construction of thev vat, whentheliner is first inserted, its i outer-margin projects beyond the flange l1, as indicated in Fig. 2, tol form a fiangel adapted to interlock with the i'iange 11. By a swagi-ng yoperation the flange 15 is bent downward and inward to embrace the outer edge ofthe flange 11 (as showninliig.V 3) and then both flanges are folded downward to .their final positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The body 6 of cork compresses under the pressure of the contents so'that considerable tension is placed on the liner 14Yandthis tension is transmitted to the edges of the vat and' lockin connection between the stri flange 11 and the liner flange 15. Itwill now be understood that a strong locking engage# ment between the liner `and outer casing is produced and the edge construction is adapt` ed to withstand the forces exerted by the liquid contents fof the vat. The vat presents an unusually neaty appearance as no fastenings lare visible around its edges and smoothbearings are afforded for the cover 16. v

My invention has the further advantage of making it possible to employ a strong wall construction in which theloadcarrying edges are channel shaped with deep flanges extending inside of the vat.v A large part of the weight of the-contents of the vat is 'trans-y mitted to such rigid channel members by my arrangement, andan edge .of the main load carrying member or outer casing sheet isnot; required for the connection with the other members. v Y

My invention has been employed to advan# tage in the construction of cream ripeners and pasteuriaersof Vfive hundred gallon capacity or larger but it will be understood that it may beused in tanks, vatsor containers for numerous other purposes without departing from the spirit'ofmyinvention. g'

Having described my invention what I claim as new and Patent is:

Y1. In avat having awall, a narrow and rel-VV desire to protect by Letters.V

means for securing said strip to said edge, av

linear sheet extending from the interior 'of the vat across said edge and overlapping said strip and having a foldable flange adapted to project beyond the flange on said strip and a lock joint formed by bending said flanges together.

2. In a vat having a wall, a strip of sheet metal extending along an edge of said wall and having a foldable flange adapted to project therefrom, means for securing said strip to said edge, a liner sheet extending from the interior of the vat across said edge and overlapping said strip and having a foldable flange adapted to project beyond the flange on said strip and a lock joint formed by lthe flange on said liner bent to embrace said flange onsaid strip and both flanges being bent to extend substantially parallel to the outer surface of said wall. j

3. In a vat having a wall, a strip of sheet metal extending along an edge of Asaid wall and having a foldable flange adapted to pro'- ject therefrom, a bar secured in overlapping relation to said'st'rip, means for securing said bar to said edge, a liner sheet'overlapping said bar and having a foldable flange adapted to project beyond the flangeon said strip and a lock joint formed by bending the flange on said liner to embrace said flange on said strip and both flanges being to extend substantially parallel to the outer surface of said wall. i Y

4. In a vat a wall containing a body of insulated material, a sheet metal casing extending upon the outer surface of said body and along an edge thereof, a stripjof sheet metal secured to said casing along said edge, a relatively heavy bar overlapping said strip along said edge, a liner sheet extending from the interior of the vat outward over said bar and interlocking `flanges along the overlapped edges of said strip and liner.

5. In a vat awall containing a thick body of insulated material, a sheet metal casing extending upon the outer surface of said body, along an edge thereof, a flange on the edge of said casing extending within the vat to embrace said body of insulating material, a strip of sheet metal secured to said casing along said edge, a relatively heavy bar overlapping said strip along said edge, a liner sheet extending from the interior of the vat outward over said bar and interlocking flanges formed on the outer edges of said strip and liner.

6. In a vat the combination with a wall containing a thick body of compressible insulated material, of a sheet metal casing extending upon the outer surface of said body and along an edge thereof, a strip of sheet metal secured to said casing along said edge, a bar overlapping said strip along said edge, a liner sheet supported within the vat on said body of insulating material and extending from the interior of the vat outward over said barl and interlocking flanges formed on the outer `edges of said strip and liner.

7. In a vat the combination with a Wall having a heavy sheet metal casing extending inside of the vat, of a narrow and relatively long strip of sheet metal extending along an edge of said wall and having a foldable flange adapted to project from the outer surface of said vat, means for securing said strip to said edge, a liner sheet extending from the interior of the vat across said edge and overlapping said strip and having a foldable flange adapted to project beyond the flange on said strip and a lock oint formed by bending said flanges together.

8. In a vat the combination with a wall having a channel-sliaped edge member for supporting at least a part of the weight of the contents, saidv member having portions extending from theiedge over the inner and outer surfaces of the wall,rof a strip of sheet metal secured to said member and ext-ending therealong, a relatively heavy bar overlap-k ping said strip along said edge, a liner sheet extending from the interior of the vat outward over said bar and interlocking flanges along the overlapped edges of said strip and liner.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT C. I-IOUGLAND. 

